SANTA ROSA, Calif., Dec. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Northern California Center for Well-Being announced today the launch of the Sonoma County Dental Wellbeing Collaborative. Designed as a model for the nation, the mission of the Collaborative is to provide preventive dental health education to the most vulnerable in Sonoma County. Over the first two years, the program will reach thousands of community members and will include formal training of at least 2,250 residents in dental prevention techniques.

The Collaborative is the brainchild of retired periodontist, John H. Duffy, DDS, who developed an easy to use technique for preventing gum disease while doing volunteer periodontal work with indigent communities in the United States and Central America.

Through community health workers, known as Promotoras de Salud, the Collaborative will provide education about oral health disease and teach self-management skills that prevent and reduce the risk factors and trauma linked to dental disease.

"I am so pleased to see Dr. Duffy's dream become a reality," said Karissa Moreno, Executive Director for the Northern California Center for Well-Being. "With his easy to learn program, underserved residents in our community will receive direct education about oral health disease reduction strategies, resulting in increased knowledge and self-management skills to prevent and reduce risk factors for dental decay and disease. This kind of upstream prevention program will make a significant and lasting difference in the health of the residents we serve. With Dr. Duffy's technique and the Center for Well-Being's team of Promotoras de Salud, we will move the needle in the health disparities of Sonoma County."

"Oral health is critical to overall wellbeing," said Dr. John H. Duffy. "Unfortunately, there are significant oral health disparities in Sonoma County today. The Center's community-based model will be an effective way to bring a well proven preventive approach to the community to successfully address these health disparities."

About the Northern California Center for Well-Being and Dr. John H. Duffy:

The Northern California Center for Well-Being:

The Northern California Center for Well-Being promotes the well-being of the whole person by empowering people with the knowledge, skills, and spirit to take responsibility for personal, family and community health. The Center offers classes to help individuals curb the effects of diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and more; plants the seeds of nutrition and active living; and actively works in the community to prevent chronic disease through education, mobilization, and advocacy.

Dr. John H Duffy: Throughout his life, John H. Duffy, DDS has been a tireless advocate for the needs of the less fortunate. From repeated trips to El Salvador and Nicaragua to provide dental care to the poor—to his work in clinics for the indigent throughout the United States--to the founding of an inclusive church that promotes the role of women as church leaders—Dr. Duffy has been a consistent force for fostering good in our society. Now Dr. Duffy, an 84-year-old periodontist, has committed himself to a new mission to improve the oral health of the migrant population in Sonoma County.

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